Very, Very Awesome!
A is for Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill is found in Africa from Senegal to northern Kenya, mostly in grasslands and savannas. They are one of the largest species of hornbills, with a wingspan that averages 6 feet, and can live up to 45 years. These birds are mainly black, but have blue skin surrounding their eyes with modified feathers that look like eyelashes and protect their eyes from dust. They are also the only bird with the first two neck vertebrates fused together. This supports the weight of their heavy beak and large head. B is for Bird of Paradise. Mostly found in the tropical forests of New Guinea and the surrounding islands, there are forty-one species of these beautiful birds. They have rounded wings and are famous for their super long feathers. These feathers , or streamers, are often used in tribal rituals. C is for California Condor. This is the largest bird in North America with a wingspan of 9 1/2 feet! It builds its nest on cliffs and sometimes high in trees like the coastal redwood and giant sequoia. They don’t have a good sense of smell, but they have great eyesight. They can soar for hours and can easily cover hundreds of miles when searching for food. They have mostly bald heads so that when they eat, they can stick their heads into the carcasses. D is for Dusky Lory. The colorful Dusky Lory is native to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. This bird is intelligent and can learn to speak really well. These pretty birds make great pets---they are entertaining, fun, playful, and love toys! E is for Elf Owl. This tiny owl is one of the smallest owls in the world, about the size of a sparrow. It often nests inside of giant cacti and sycamores. Like other owls, they have excellent hearing and sight and they can fly without making noise. If ever captured, this tiny owl will play dead. F is for Flamingo. There are six different species of flamingoes and they are all strong swimmers and powerful fliers. The word flamingo comes from the Latin word flamenco which means fire. The name fits them very well as their feathers are very bright pink. The color of their feathers is caused by the food they eat, mainly shrimp, other crustaceans and algae. Fun fact: a flock of flamingoes is called a flamboyance. Another fun fact? Their knees are very close to their bodies and what looks like their knee is actually their ankle! G is for Golden Pheasant. These shy birds originated in West China. The males have beautiful feathers with a golden crest and tails that are 2/3 the length of their body. They prefer to run because they aren’t very good fliers, and they sleep in trees at night to keep safe from predators. H is for Hoopoe. The Hoopoe is found across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Madagascar. It is the national bird of Israel and is considered sacred in ancient Egypt. It enjoys sunbathing, and when it flies, the movement of the wings looks like the movement of a butterfly wing. This bird is very territorial and will fight if threatened. I is for I’iwi. This colorful little bird is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper, one of the most common native land birds in Hawaii. It drinks nectar from his long curved beak and can hover like a hummingbird. They are often mentioned in Hawaiian folk tales. J is for Jabiru. The Jabiru is a large stork whose name means ‘’swollen neck’’ on account of the bizarre looking inflatable red pouch at the base of its neck. It is the tallest flying bird in Central and South America, standing at 5 feet tall with a wingspan of 8 feet. K is for Kagu. This bird from New Caledonia and the South Pacific is often called the ‘’ghost of the forest’’ because of its pale grey color. Even though it can’t fly, it has large wings that help it keep its balance when it glides or when it climbs and hops over rocks. L is for Lyrebird. The Lyrebird is one of Australia’s best known birds, and one of the most ancient, with fossils dating back 15 million years ago. They are shy birds that will run away or hide quietly if they detect danger. They have beautiful tail feathers that fan out during their courtship display, but their most notable feature is their ability to mimic sounds. They can imitate all sorts of sounds, like chainsaws, camera shutters, music, car alarms, and even human voices! M is for Marvelous Spatuletail. These rare and marvelous hummingbirds are only found on the edges of the forest of the Rio Utcubamba region in northern Peru. They only have 4 tail feathers and the male’s outer 2 feathers are elongated and end in violet blue ‘’spatules’’ or discs and can be moved independently. N is for Nightingale. The Nightingale is a simple, plain looking bird found in Africa, Asia, Russia, UK, China, Europe, and the Mediterranean where it lives in forests and woodlands. For centuries, they have been a source of inspiration for musicians and poets because of their beautiful sweet songs. Male nightingales can sing for hours and can sing up to 300 musical variations! O is for Osprey. The Osprey, also known as a ‘’sea hawk’’ or ‘’sea eagle’’ is a fish eating bird of prey and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. Unlike regular birds of prey, they have rounded talons with a reversible outer toe and sharp spines on their soles which help them grab on to slippery fish. They also have semi transparent third eyelids that act as goggles when they dive into the water. P is for Puffin. These cute birds are sometimes called sea parrots or clowns of the sea. They have large, brightly colored beaks with raspy tongues and spiny palates that help them hold on to several fish at once. Their waterproof feathers allow them to spend most of their time in water, but they are also great fliers. They create burrows in rocky cliffs or between rocks and their young are called pufflings. Q is for Quetzal. These endangered birds live in mountainous tropical forests of Central America. They are mainly bright green and red, with twin tail feathers that grow over 2 feet. They are the national bird of Guatemala and were sacred to ancient Maya and Aztec people, who prized their long green tail feathers. R is for Roseate Spoonbill. The Roseate Spoonbill is the only spoonbill species found in the Americas. It is a large wading bird with a crazy spatula shaped bill that it uses to catch small fish and other water creatures. Like the flamingo, it gets its pink feathers from the food it eats. A group of these birds is called a bowl. S is for Secretary Bird. The Secretary Bird is thought to get its name from the long quill-like feathers on its head that resemble the quill pens that a secretary might have tucked behind her ears. It is a very large bird of prey, usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of sub-Saharan Africa. It has the body of an eagle on crane-like legs which bring the bird to a height of around 4 ft tall. Mostly a terrestrial bird, it hunts its prey on foot, either striking it with its bill or stomping on it with its powerful kick. They generally eat insects, small mammals, snakes, and have even been caught killing young gazelles. T is for Takahe. The Takahe is a flightless bird about the size of a hen that is only found in New Zealand. It was once thought to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 1948. It originally lived in the swamps of New Zealand, but has been forced to move to the grasslands, where it eats grass, shoots, and insects. U is for Umbrella Bird. Found in Central and South American rainforests, mostly black with a funny umbrella-like crest on their heads and a pendant shaped inflatable pouch on their necks that can make their already loud calls even louder. They are slow, clumsy fliers. V is for Vulturine Guinea Fowl. This large, tall bird is found in eastern tropical Africa. It looks like a vulture because of its small bald head and neck. They are fast runners and rarely fly unless they are retreating to their nests at night. They are very aggressive birds and will attack each other if provoked. W is for White-Winged Fairy Wren. This pretty little bird is from Australia. It is a shy bird that forages for food by hopping and plucking its prey, mainly insects, from the ground. Similar to humans, the male presents the female with petals from flowers as part of the courtship display. X is for Xantus’s Murrelet. Xantus’s Murrelet is a water bird found in the warmer climates of Baja and Southern California. Under 10 inches, it’s a small bird, with powerful little wings that can dive down into the water to chase its prey. It is the only seabird that raises its young entirely at sea. The chicks are so well developed when hatched that they can take to the water only 2 days after hatching! Y is for Yellow-Billed Kingfisher. This bird is found in the mangroves and rainforests of lower New Guinea and the northern part of Cape York in Australia. They are funny shaped birds with short legs and strong feet, stocky bodies, and huge heads and bills that they use for impaling their prey---usually insects, worms, and lizards. They are clean little birds that like to dive into the water and smooth their feathers in the sunshine. Z is for Zanzibar Bishop. The Zanzibar Bishop is found the coastal lowlands of Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The males and females look alike during most of the year except during breeding season, when the males develop beautiful bright colors. They are social little birds that live in flocks. Category:1,014